Cell Editing and Batch Updates

Getting started

1. Create a new ASP.NET MVC 4 application (or Kendo UI ASP.NET MVC application if you have installed the Kendo UI Visual Studio Extensions). Name the application "KendoGridBatchEditing". If you decided not to use the Kendo UI Visual Studio Extensions followe the steps from the introduction help topic in order to add Kendo UI Complete for ASP.NET MVC to the application.
2. Add a new "Entity Framework Data Model". Right click the ~/Models folder in the solution explorer and pick "Add -> New Item". Choose "Data -> ADO.NET Entity Data Model" in the "Add New Item" dialog. Name the model "Northwind.edmx" and click "Next". This will start the "Entity Data Model Wizard".
3. Pick the "Generate from database" option and click "Next". Configure a connection to the Northwind database. Click "Next".
4. Choose the "Products" table from the "Which database objects do you want to include in your model?". Leave all other options as they are set by default. Click "Finish".

5. Add a new class to the ~/Models folder. Name it ProductViewModel.

   public class ProductViewModel
   {
       public int ProductID { get; set; }
       // The ProductName property is required
       [Required]
       public int ProductName { get; set; }
       // Use the Integer editor template for the UnitsInStock property
       [UIHint("Integer")]
       public short? UnitsInStock { get; set; }
   }
   

6. Open HomeController.cs and add a new action method which will return the Products as JSON. The grid will make ajax requests to this action.

   public ActionResult Products_Read([DataSourceRequest]DataSourceRequest request)
   {
       using (var northwind = new NorthwindEntities())
       {
           IQueryable<Product> products = northwind.Products;
           DataSourceResult result = products.ToDataSourceResult(request);
           return Json(result);
       }
   }
   

7. Add new action method to HomeController.cs. It will be responsible for saving new data items. Name the method "Products_Create".

   public ActionResult Products_Create([DataSourceRequest]DataSourceRequest request, [Bind(Prefix="models")]IEnumerable<ProductViewModel> products)
   {
       // Will keep the inserted entitites here. Used to return the result later.
       var entities = new List<Product>();
       if (ModelState.IsValid)
       {
           using (var northwind = new NorthwindEntities())
           {
               foreach (var product in products)
               {
                   // Create a new Product entity and set its properties from the posted ProductViewModel
                   var entity = new Product
                   {
                       ProductName = product.ProductName,
                       UnitsInStock = product.UnitsInStock
                   };
                   // Add the entity
                   northwind.Products.Add(entity);
                   // Store the entity for later use
                   entities.Add(entity);
               }
               // Insert the entities in the database
               northwind.SaveChanges();
           }
       }
       // Return the inserted entities. The grid needs the generated ProductID. Also return any validation errors.
       return Json(entities.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState, product => new ProductViewModel
       {
           ProductID = product.ProductID,
           ProductName = product.ProductName,
           UnitsInStock = product.UnitsInStock
       }));
   }
   

8. Add new action method to HomeController.cs. It will be responsible for saving updated data items. Name the method "Products_Update".

   public ActionResult Products_Update([DataSourceRequest]DataSourceRequest request, [Bind(Prefix = "models")]IEnumerable<ProductViewModel> products)
   {
       // Will keep the updated entitites here. Used to return the result later.
       var entities = new List<Product>();
       if (ModelState.IsValid)
       {
           using (var northwind = new NorthwindEntities())
           {
               foreach (var product in products)
               {
                   // Create a new Product entity and set its properties from the posted ProductViewModel
                   var entity = new Product
                   {
                       ProductID = product.ProductID,
                       ProductName = product.ProductName,
                       UnitsInStock = product.UnitsInStock
                   };
                   // Store the entity for later use
                   entities.Add(entity);
                   // Attach the entity
                   northwind.Products.Attach(entity);
                   // Change its state to Modified so Entity Framework can update the existing product instead of creating a new one
                   northwind.Entry(entity).State = EntityState.Modified;
                   // Or use ObjectStateManager if using a previous version of Entity Framework
                   // northwind.ObjectStateManager.ChangeObjectState(entity, EntityState.Modified);
               }
               // Update the entities in the database
               northwind.SaveChanges();
           }
       }
       // Return the updated entities. Also return any validation errors.
       return Json(entities.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState, product => new ProductViewModel
       {
           ProductID = product.ProductID,
           ProductName = product.ProductName,
           UnitsInStock = product.UnitsInStock
       }));
   }
   

9. Add new action method to HomeController.cs. It will be responsible for saving deleted data items. Name the method "Products_Destroy".

   public ActionResult Products_Destroy([DataSourceRequest]DataSourceRequest request, [Bind(Prefix = "models")]IEnumerable<ProductViewModel> products)
   {
       // Will keep the destroyed entitites here. Used to return the result later.
       var entities = new List<Product>();
       if (ModelState.IsValid)
       {
           using (var northwind = new NorthwindEntities())
           {
               foreach (var product in products)
               {
                   // Create a new Product entity and set its properties from the posted ProductViewModel
                   var entity = new Product
                   {
                       ProductID = product.ProductID,
                       ProductName = product.ProductName,
                       UnitsInStock = product.UnitsInStock
                   };
                   // Store the entity for later use
                   entities.Add(entity);
                   // Attach the entity
                   northwind.Products.Attach(entity);
                   // Delete the entity
                   northwind.Products.Remove(entity);
                   // Or use DeleteObject if using a previous versoin of Entity Framework
                   // northwind.Products.DeleteObject(entity);
               }
               // Delete the entity in the database
               northwind.SaveChanges();
           }
       }
       // Return the destroyed entities. Also return any validation errors.
       return Json(entities.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState, product => new ProductViewModel
       {
           ProductID = product.ProductID,
           ProductName = product.ProductName,
           UnitsInStock = product.UnitsInStock
       }));
   }
   

10. In the view configure the grid to use the action methods created in the previous steps.

    • Index.aspx (ASPX)

      <%: Html.Kendo().Grid<KendoGridBatchEditing.Models.ProductViewModel>()
            .Name("grid")
            .Columns(columns =>
            {
                columns.Bound(product => product.ProductID).Width(100);
                columns.Bound(product => product.ProductName);
                columns.Bound(product => product.UnitsInStock).Width(250);
                columns.Command(commands =>
                {
                    commands.Destroy(); // The "destroy" command removes data items
                }).Title("Commands").Width(200);
            })
            .ToolBar(toolbar =>
            {
                toolbar.Create(); // The "create" command adds new data items
                toolbar.Save(); // The "save" command saves the changed data items
            })
            .Editable(editable => editable.Mode(GridEditMode.InCell)) // Use in-cell editing mode
            .DataSource(dataSource =>
                dataSource.Ajax()
                  .Batch(true) // Enable batch updates
                  .Model(model =>
                  {
                      model.Id(product => product.ProductID); // Specify the property which is the unique identifier of the model
                      model.Field(product => product.ProductID).Editable(false); // Make the ProductID property not editable
                  })
                  .Create(create => create.Action("Products_Create", "Home")) // Action method invoked when the user saves a new data item
                  .Read(read => read.Action("Products_Read", "Home"))  // Action method invoked when the grid needs data
                  .Update(update => update.Action("Products_Update", "Home"))  // Action method invoked when the user saves an updated data item
                  .Destroy(destroy => destroy.Action("Products_Destroy", "Home")) // Action method invoked when the user removes a data item
            )
            .Pageable()
      %>
      

    • Index.cshtml (Razor)

      @(Html.Kendo().Grid<KendoGridBatchEditing.Models.ProductViewModel>()
            .Name("grid")
            .Columns(columns =>
            {
                columns.Bound(product => product.ProductID).Width(100);
                columns.Bound(product => product.ProductName);
                columns.Bound(product => product.UnitsInStock).Width(250);
                columns.Command(commands =>
                {
                    commands.Destroy(); // The "destroy" command removes data items
                }).Title("Commands").Width(200);
            })
            .ToolBar(toolbar =>
            {
                toolbar.Create(); // The "create" command adds new data items
                toolbar.Save(); // The "save" command saves the changed data items
            })
            .Editable(editable => editable.Mode(GridEditMode.InCell)) // Use in-cell editing mode
            .DataSource(dataSource =>
                dataSource.Ajax()
                  .Batch(true) // Enable batch updates
                  .Model(model =>
                  {
                      model.Id(product => product.ProductID); // Specify the property which is the unique identifier of the model
                      model.Field(product => product.ProductID).Editable(false); // Make the ProductID property not editable
                  })
                  .Create(create => create.Action("Products_Create", "Home")) // Action method invoked when the user saves a new data item
                  .Read(read => read.Action("Products_Read", "Home"))  // Action method invoked when the grid needs data
                  .Update(update => update.Action("Products_Update", "Home"))  // Action method invoked when the user saves an updated data item
                  .Destroy(destroy => destroy.Action("Products_Destroy", "Home")) // Action method invoked when the user removes a data item
            )
            .Pageable()
      )
      

11. Build and run the application